Bravo to Lieff

Montecito winemaker Gretchen Lieff was awarded Woman Business Owner of the Year at the 10th annual BRAVO Awards lunch at Goleta’s Hilton Garden Inn.

Gretchen, owner of the La Lieff winery in the Funk Zone and an avid animal activist, exclaimed: “A great surprise! But a nice honor.”

The event, with the theme Rising Together, was emceed by Anne Pazier, owner of Santa Barbara Gift Baskets, who was Madame of Ceremonies, while Kirsten Miller, president and CEO of Santa Barbara South Coast Chamber of Commerce, was keynote speaker.

Other recipients included Julie Phillips, Julie Schneiderman, Jen Gamble, Linda Krop, Kellie Pearson, and Charlotte Choi, a student at Dos Pueblos High School.

Kim Clark, a partner in the popular website Noozhawk, appropriately enough won the first Kim Clark Leadership Award named in her honor.

Others at the National Association of Women Business Owners bash were Janet Garufis, Sherry Villanueva, Lauren Bragg, Lisa Osborn, Kara Pearson, Judy Foreman, Hannah-Beth Jackson, and Bill MacFadyen.